Energy drinks fuelling liver damage in India's youth, experts warn on World Liver Day

New Delhi: Leading specialists have cautioned that excessive energy drink consumption is driving a surge in liver damage among India's young people, coinciding with World Liver Day.

Doctors report a rising trend of early liver disease in youth, fuelled by drinks marketed as performance boosters. These beverages often exceed safe caffeine limits and include taurine and herbal stimulants, overloading the liver and impairing its function over time.

Mixing them with alcohol heightens dangers, as caffeine masks intoxication, prompting overconsumption. "Three major contributors to liver dysfunction are energy drinks, alcohol, and high-sugar beverages," said Dr Abhideep Chaudhary, President of the Liver Transplantation Society of India (LTSI), New Delhi. "Alcohol remains a top cause, while sugary drinks fuel fatty liver disease. Advanced cases may require transplants."

A BMJ Case Reports study linked acute hepatitis to high niacin levels from energy drinks in a healthy individual. Research highlights how their sugar, caffeine, and additives cause fat buildup, oxidative stress, and inflammation—especially risky with alcohol or poor diets—leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Urban areas see 25–30% prevalence, increasingly among adolescents and young adults. "We're seeing a demographic shift, with 20–30-year-olds facing conditions once limited to the elderly. Many view these drinks as harmless lifestyle staples," said Dr Neerav Goyal, LTSI President-Elect and Head of Liver Transplant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital.

(Inputs from IANS)